CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

English Language is one of the major languages in the world, its roles among native and non-native speakers across the globe call for its use intelligibly and in an internationally acceptable manner.  Oyedokun – Alli (2014) believes that English is the most enduring legacy of colonialism in Nigeria.  Babalola (2010) views English Language as the language of utility while other local languages serve as the languages of identity.  Oluwole (2008) posits that English Language acquisition is a stepping – stone to proficiency in other school subjects and its knowledge is important both for educational, economical and national developments of a country.

        The importance of English language as x-rayed by scholars above perhaps necessitates the support given to the language by the Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) in the National Policy on Education (2004) by enforcing it as a compulsory subject and making it a medium of instruction at all levels of education except at the pre-primary school stage.  Premium is also placed on passing English Language at credit level in addition to other requirements to secure admission into Higher Institution of learning or to secure better jobs.  The basic fact that can be deduced from all these is that an average Nigeria is expected to attain an appreciable level of competence in the Language.

        A close examination of the English (as a second language ESL) curriculum over the years reveals that it seeks to balance between linguistic competence and communicative competence.  However, it is disinteresting to note that the required level of proficiency in English language for effective intra and international communication is elusive to Nigerian learners of English. Scholars have pointed out language deficiency and poor level of achievement in English among Nigeria students.  This can be linked to poor performance in other school subjects and consequently impacting negatively on Nigeria’s educational objectives (Onukaogu 2002; Okoro 2000; Kolawole and Dele 2002; Oyedokun – Alli 2014).

        The observed errors in language use can be traced to the first language for instance the ekiti dialect among other factors that can be responsible for communication deficiency and poor achievement in English language (Kolawole and Dele 2002; Ihejirika 2007; Shaibu 2007 Ogundepo 2015. The first language of contact is the mother tongue of any child.  It is the language acquired from birth, used for communication and serves as basis for sociolinguistic identity (Babalola 2010).  It expresses the culture of the society for which it belongs. 

        The Mother Tongue (MT) has tremendous importance to the educational development of the child.  This is perhaps why the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN 2004) in her National Policy on Education (NPE) recommends that the first language of the immediate community or the MT. should be the medium of communication at the pre-primary and the first three years of primary school.  The mother – tongue opens the door not only to its own grammar but also to all grammars, in as much as it awakens the potential for universal grammar that lies with all of us (Brown 2006).  By the medium of first language, children learn the day – to – day life pattern of their age group, their society’s culture, tradition, conventions and history.  By this, they keep, preserve and value whatever this language bequeaths on them.

        However, the incessant flouting of the recommendations of the FGN on NPE by educational stakeholders through the introduction of second language to the Nigeria child too early in life seems to cause problem of defective language development among students.  The children at times become confused because they are neither well-grounded in the first language nor competent in the use of the second language.  The researcher’s experience reveals that a simultaneous introduction of first and second language to the child will eventually leave the child in a state of dilemma and often results into delayed speech development and ruptured fluency in whichever language the child picks eventually.

        Undoubtedly, both the first and the second languages have their unique advantages therefore, the stakeholders in the children affairs have the onerous task of ensuring that no friction is allowed to generate in the process of acquiring and learning these languages so as to safeguard the development of innate potentials of the children as well as ensure the development of the larger society

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Before the advent of British traders, missionaries and colonialists, indigenous Nigerian language defined every aspect of the speech community from its religious, cultural, political, Economic, social to whatever else that can be through of the language functioned effectively to deal with everything relating to the day existence of the people. The arrival of the British, concomitant with the English language provided a language contact situation with an attempt to a language shift in the population.

New sets of ideas, concepts and values were introduced to the system where indigenous local language had previously been self-sufficient, rendering them inadequate to deal with the new concepts introduced by the British, particularly in the areas of formal education, Western law etc. the result was the initial subtle and later blatant intrusion & influence of English language on domains that were the exclusive preserve of indigenous language. Now, the English language is generally an accepted language which was introduced into Nigeria through colonialism and missionary activities are now spoken, thought and learned in Nigeria. Where English language sentence are made, they are characteristically uttered with variation in pitch often referred to as intonation. This is often an area of difficulty for second language, users of English language who have tonal? Language as their first language. This is one of the major problems encountered by learners of English language. Other areas of problem encountered are’, Sentence and word stresses, vowel sounds and English suprasegmental of pitch. The study intended to identify the influence of Ekiti dialect on learning of English as second language in secondary schools in Ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The study seeks to determine the influence of Ekiti dialect on learning of English as second language in secondary schools in Ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state. The objectives of the study are:

1. to determine the relationship between ekiti dialect and learning of English as second language in ekiti west L.G.A
2. to identify the factors affecting the learning of English language in secondary schools in ekiti west L.G.A
3. to examine the personal pronouns in ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state
4. to determine the difference in English language and ekiti vowel sound

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on the influence of Ekiti dialect on learning of English as second language in secondary schools in Ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state will be of immense help to the entire English and literary students in Ekiti West L.G.A towards controlling the effect of mother tongue on learning English language as second language. The study findings of the study will also establish a correlation between ekiti dialect and learning of English as second language in ekiti west L.G.A. The study will also serve as a source of information to higher institutions and other researchers and contribute to the body of the existing literature on the influence of Ekiti dialect on learning of English as second language in secondary schools in Ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the relationship between ekiti dialect and learning of English as second language in ekiti west L.G.A?
2. What are the factors affecting the learning of English language in secondary schools in ekiti west L.G.A?
3. What are the personal pronouns in ekiti west L.G.A of ekiti state?
4. What is the difference in English language and ekiti vowel sound?

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: there is no significant relationship between ekiti dialect and learning of English as second language in ekiti west L.G.A

H1: there is significant relationship between ekiti dialect and learning of English as second language in ekiti west L.G.A